Lock for safety-deposit boxes.



Patented Dec. l8, I900.

A. R. FERGUSSON. LOOK FOR SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES.

(Application filed Feb. 13, 1900.1

2 Sheets8heet (No Model) [1V VEN T OR VIIA V THE mums PETERS co,Puma-Lama. wasmuufou, u c.

Patented Dec. l8, I900.

A. R. FERGUSSON.

LOOK FOR SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES.

(Application filed. Feb. 13. 1900.

2 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

Attorney NlTED STATES ALAN ROBE FERGUSSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LOCK FOR SAFETY-DEPOSIT BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,876, dated December18, 1900.

Application filed February 13, 1900. Serial No. 5,078. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALAN RoBB FEReUssoN, of New York, in the county ofNew York and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Looks for Safety- Deposit Boxes; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvementin locks, and more particularly tosuch as are adaptable for use on the doors of safe-deposit boxes, theobject of the invention being to provide a simple lock capable ofoperation only by means of two keys and which shall be so constructed asto effectually prevent picking.

With this object in view the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, ashereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a face view of asafety-deposit box to the door of which my improved lock is applied.Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line a: w of Fig. 6. Fig. 3 is asectional view on the line 3 y of Fig. 6. Fig. 4 is a sectional View onthe line 10 to, Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line a a. Fig.6 is a rear face view of a portion of a door and its casing andmyimproved lock with a portion of the casing of the latter removed. Fig.7 is a rear face view of the lock, showing the positions of the partsafter one key has been inserted. Fig. 8 is a similar view showing thepositions of the parts with both keys inserted and all the boltswithdrawn. Fig. 9 is a detail view illustrating the supplemental boltsand the plate in which they are mount-ed. Fig. 10 is a view showing thevarious lockingarms. Fig. 11 is a view showing lever and locking-arm.Fig. 12 is adetail View of the rear or inner faceplate of thelock-casing. Figs. 13 and 14 are detail views of the two keys foroperating the lock shown in the other figures.

A represents the front of a safe-deposit box and constitutes the framefor the door B of the box, said door being hinged to the frame, as at a,and is thrown open when unlocked by means of springs b.

A lock-casi ng O is fixed in any suitable man ner to the inner face ofthe door B, and in said casing a sleeve 1 is revolubly mounted. The rearportion of the sleeve 1 is provided with a spiral groove 2, and withinsaid sleeve a bolt 3 is mounted to slide longitudinally, the bolt beingprovided with a pin or screw 4 to enter the spiral groove in the sleeve1, and thus impart longitudinal movement to the bolt when the sleeve isturned. The bolt 3 is provided with an angular end 5., which moveswithin a similarly-shaped socket in the casing and when the bolt isthrown engages the inner face of the door-frame, as clearly shown inFigs. 2, 3, 6, and 7. Two tumblers 6 7 are disposed on the sleeve 1, thetumbler 6 being loosely mounted thereon and the tumbler being secured tosaid sleeve, so as. to tn rn therewith, by means of a screw 8. Theturnbler 6 is provided with a series ofperipheral projections 0, adaptedto enter a series of holes or openings c in a key D when the latter ispassed through a slot 0 in the door and made to move tangentially to thetumbler, this movement of the key causing the tumbler to rotate on thesleeve 1. The tumbler 6 is provided with a lug 9, normally disposed inline with the key-slot c and adapted to be engaged by the end of thekeyD to start the rotation of the tumbler when the key is inserted. Itis important that this normal position should be accurately maintained,and this is accomplished by means of a springpressed finger l0,pivotally mounted in the lock-casing and having a tooth 11 bearing in agroove 12 in the periphery of the tumbler. The bottom of the groove iscurved, as shown in Fig. 4:, so that slight pressure against the plug 9on the tumbler by the key willcause the tooth 11 to ride out of thegroove 12 as the tumbler begins to turn. The pressure, however, of thespring-pressed finger against the tumbler is sufficient to prevent theaccidental displacement of the latter from its normal position. Thetooth 11 on the finger 10 serves also to prevent the rotation of thetumbler by any means other than the proper key by engaging a shoulder 13on the tumbler after the tumbler shall have been turned sufficiently tocause the groove 12 to pass said tooth. Thus if it should be attemptedto rotate the tumbler by means of a wire the engagement of the shoulder13 on the tumbler with the tooth 12 would prevent the tumbler from beingturned far enough to effect the operation of the lock. It would bedifficult to raise the spring-pressed finger to disengage the tooth 11from the tumbler by means of a wire; but to further guard againstpicking the lock by raising said spring-pressed finger with a wire Iprovided another and independent spring-pressed'finger 14, having atooth 15 to be engaged by another shoulder on the tumbler, so that inorder to permit the rotation of the tumbler both of said fingers must bemoved away, and said fingers being mounted independently of each otherit would be practically impossible to move them both away from thetumbler at the same time with a piece of wire or any device other than aproper key. The spring-pressed fingers l0 and 14 are provided withbeveled teeth 16 at their free ends, and these teeth are normallydisposed in the path of the key. When a proper key, which will mesh withthe peripheral projections on the tumbler, is inserted into the lock,the forward end of the keywill engage the teeth 16 and move the fingers10 14 and their teeth 11 15 away from the shoulders on the tumbler,andthus permit the rotation of the tumbler and the complete insertion ofthe key.

A key-slot 17 is provided in the door for the insertion'of the keyE,with which the tumbler 7 cooperates; but' said tumbler is normally sodisposed as to prevent the insertion of the key, as shown in Fig. 5, andit must be moved to a position such as thetumbler 6 occupies in Fig. 4.For this purpose the fixed tumbler 7 is provided in its side next to thetumbler 6 with. a pin 18, entering a groove 19 in the tumbler 6. Whenthe keyD is inserted into the lock, the tumbler 6 will be turned freelyon the sleeve 1 until the end wall of the groove 19 engages the pin"'18on the tumbler 7, and

then during the completion of the throw of the tumbler 6 the tumbler 7and the sleeve 1 will turn with it, and said tumbler 7 will thus bemoved into position to receive the keyE. The insertion now of the key 2will cause the continued rotation of the tumbler 7 and the sleeve,resulting through the medium of the spiral slot 2 and pin 4 inwithdrawing the bolt 3. To avoid possibility of picking the lock byrotating the tumbler 7 with a wire or other instrument, spring-pressedfingers 20 cooperate with shoulders on the tumbler 7 in the same manneras above described with respect to the fingers 1O 14 and the shoulderson the tumbler 6. To further guard against picking the lock, anotherspring-pressed finger 22 is employed. This finger is provided with atooth 23 to be engaged by a shoulder on the tumbler 7; but the free endof said finger is bent laterally and provided with a tooth '24, disposedin position to be engaged by the key D when the latter is inserted toturn the tumbler 6.

It will be seen that by means of the devices above described the key Ecannot be inserted until the tumbler 7 shall have first been properlyset by the rotation of the tumbler 6 by the key D, that the rotation ofthe tumbler 7 is essential to the withdrawal of the bolt, and that itrequires both keys to unlock the tumbler 7 so that it can be rotated.

The rear or inner face-plate 25 of the lockcasing is provided with aseries of lugs 26, which enter between the various springpressed fingersand maintain them properly spaced apart.

The'door B is provided on its inner face above the lock-casing with twoguides for the reception of a plate 27, which is maintained in itsnormal position with one end abutting against the lock-casing by meansof a screw 28. The under face of the plate 27 is made with two grooves29 29, in which two sliding bolts 30 are disposed and adapted to engagethe upper portion of the door-frame A at right angles to the bolt 3. Thebolts 30 are normally projected by means of springs 31, which hear atone end in sockets in one end of said bolts and at their other endsagainstthe lockcasing O. The plate 27 is provided on its outer face witha series of lugs 32, between which levers 33 34 35 are pivotallysupported. The short arm of each lever 33 and 34 projects through slotsin the plate 27 and enters notches 36 in the outer side faces of thebolts 30, so that when said levers are turned in one direction on theirfulcru ms the bolts will be withdrawn. The short arm 37 of the lever 35,which is disposed between the levers 33 and 34, also passes through aslot in the plate 27, and the free end of said short arm 37 is madeslightly wider than the thickness of the bead 38,which separates thegrooves 29, so as to enter said grooves and notches 38 in the bolts, andthus normally look both bolts. The levels 33, 34, and 35 project towardthe lock-casing O and terminate over the free ends of the springpressedfingers 10, 14, and 22. The levers are made with knife-edge under edges,as shown at 40, Fig. 11, to prevent possibility of manipulating them bymeans of a wire. The levers 33and 34 are maintained in and returned totheir normal positions by the action of the springs 31. The lever 35,which is made wider than the others, is maintained in and returned toits normal position by means of a spring 41. i

From this construction and arrangement of parts it will be seen thatwhen the key D is inserted into the lock the tumbler 6 will not only berotated and the tumbler 7 set to receive the key E, but the end of thekey D will engage the levers 33 34 35 and turn them on their fulcrums,thus withdrawing the bolts 30. The insert-ion then of the key E willeffeet the Withdrawal of the bolt 3, as before explained.

Should it not be desired to employ the auxiliary bolts 30, they, as wellas their operating devices, can be readily removed by re moving theplate 27, which carries them.

Slight changes might be made in the details of construction of myinvention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting itsscope, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise detailsherein set forth.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a lock, the combination with a bolt, of two tumblers, one free andthe other operatively connected withthe bolt,'a separate key for eachtumbler and means between the tumblers for causing one of them to bemoved in position to receive its key when the other one is operated.

2. In a lock, the combination with a casing, of a sleeve in the casing,a bolt passing through the sleeve and operatively connected therewith, atumbler secured to the sleeve and normally out of position to receiveits key, a tumbler mounted loose on the sleeve and adapted to beoperated by a separate key, and means between the two tumblers arrangedto cause the fixed tumbler to be moved in position to receive its keywhen the loose tumbler is rotated.

3. In a lock, the combination with a bolt, of two tumblers, one free andthe other operatively connected with the bolt, a device for normallylocking the lastmentioned tumbler against rotation, and a key forrotating the free tumbler and simultaneously releasing said lockingdevice.

4. In a lock, the combination with a casing, a sleeve mounted thereinand a bolt operatively connected with the sleeve, of a tumbler free onthe sleeve, a tumbler secured to the sleeve, a separate key for eachtumbler, a series of independent spring-pressed lockingfingers normallyengaging each tumbler and means beween the two tumblers for moving oneto position to receive its key when the other tumbler is operated.

5. In a lock, the combination of a tumbler, a bolt operatively connectedwith said tumbler, an auxiliary bolt, a lever for operating it, a secondtumbler, a key for rotating said second tumbler and simultaneouslyoperating the auxiliary bolt to withdraw it, and a separate key forrotating the first-mentioned tumbler to withdraw the bolt operativelyconnected therewith.

6. In a lock, the combination with a main bolt and an auxiliary bolt, oftwo tumblers, one operatively connected with the main bolt and the otherfree to rotate, a separate key for each tumbler, means between thetumblers for moving the one connected with the main bolt to position toreceive its key when the free tumbler is rotated, and a lever connectedwith the auxiliary bolt and disposed in the path of the key by means ofwhich the free tumbler is rotated. 5

7. In a lock, the combination with a bolt and a key, of a tumbler in thepath of and controlling the entrance of the key, two pivoted leverslocated beyond said tumbler, one of said levers normally locking thebolt and the other connected directly with the bolt for withdrawing it,both of said levers being disposed in the path of the end of the key, sothat when the key is inserted the bolt will be unlocked by the movementof one lever and then positively withdrawn by the movement of the otherlever.

8. In a lock, the combination with a tumbler, a series of bolts and akey for operating the tumbler, of an independent lever for each bolt,all of said levers disposed in the path of the key and a lever fornormally looking all the bolts, said locking-lever also disposed in thepath of the key.

9. In a lock, the combination with a tumbler, and a key for operatingthe same, of a sliding bolt, a lever connected with said bolt and havinga knife-edge disposed in the path of the key.

10. In a lock, the combination with a tnm- 9o bler and a key foroperating the same, of a sliding bolt, a lever connected with said boltand having a knife-edge disposed in the path of the key, and a levernormally locking said bolt against movement and having a knifeedge alsodisposed in the path of said key.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ALAN ROBE FERGUSSON.

Witnesses:

H. C. BEAUOHAMP, L. M. SAOIA.

